Speed awareness courses
If you're caught speeding, you could be offered to attend a speed awareness course instead of being fined and getting points on your licence.
What is a speed awareness course?
Speed awareness courses are four to five hour long sessions for people caught speeding. They're offered as an alternative to points on your licence. It’s like going back on an intensive, theoretical driving lesson where you’re retaught the dangers of speeding or dangerous driving.
They're offered by most regional police forces for either first-time offenders or for drivers who’ve committed lesser offences.
If you’re offered the course, you don’t have to go on it – you could pay the fine and accept the points instead.
Key points
- You'll only be offered an awareness course if you meet certain criteria – it'll depend on how serious your speeding offence was
- The course fee might work out more than the fine, but you’ll avoid points on your licence
- If your insurer asks whether you've attended a course, you have to tell them - but not many ask
- Insurers might raise your premium, but it could be less than if you have points on your licence
Who qualifies for a speed awareness course?
Not everyone who speeds will be offered to go on the course. You’ll only be offered the course if:
- You haven't been convicted for any other speeding offences in the past three years
- You've been caught driving over 10% plus 2mph of the limit, but below 10% plus 9mph.
For example, in a 30mph zone, this means anything between 35mph and 42mph, and in a 70mph zone it means anything between 79mph and 86mph
In any other circumstances you'll receive a fixed penalty notice and a minimum of three points on your licence. For serious speeding offences, 10% plus 9mph over the limit, you’ve every chance of being taken to court.
What happens on a speed awareness course?
Speed awareness courses have a strong emphasis on education and engagement. You won't be patronised, told off or subjected to endless road safety videos.
There’s no test at the end, but you might be quizzed on your knowledge and challenged on how you can build on it.
They encourage defensive driving and increased awareness of the obstacles and dangers drivers face every time they hit the road.
They’ll also remind you that you've not had any other driver training or refresher courses since you originally passed your test.
Who runs the speed awareness courses?
Speed awareness courses are run by independent, regional bodies who work with local constabularies. The courses are regulated by the National Association of Driver Intervention Providers.
How much are speed awareness courses?
Each course has its own fee, but they’re usually around £100.
1.45 million UK drivers completed a retraining course in 2018According to the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme (NDORS)
How much are speeding fines?
Speeding fines depend on: your income, the speed you’re caught at and the speed limit of the area you’re driving in. The minimum fine is £100 and the maximum is £1,000 (or £2,500 on motorways).
There are three main bands for speeding fines; A, B and C.
Band A
Fine: 25-75% of weekly income
Points: 3
You'll be placed in Band A if you're caught speeding between 1 and 9 miles per hour over the speed limit.
You'll receive a fixed penalty notice with a fine between 25% and 75% of your weekly income, as well as 3 points on your licence.
Band B
Fine: 75-125% of weekly income
Points: 4-6
Disqualification: seven to 28 days
You'll be placed in Band B if you're caught speeding between 11 and 20 miles per hour over the speed limit.
You'll receive a fixed penalty notice with a fine between 75% and 125% of your weekly income and up to 6 points on your licence or face disqualification for up to 28 days.
Band C
Fine: 125-175% of weekly income
Points: 6
Disqualification: seven to 56 days
You'll be placed in Band C if you're caught speeding more than 21 miles per hour over the speed limit.
You'll receive a fixed penalty notice with a fine between 125% and 175% of your weekly income, as well as 6 points on your licence or face disqualification for up to 56 days.
Bands D, E and F
Fine: 200-700% of weekly income
You’ll only be placed in band D, E or F in certain circumstances. For example, if you have prior convictions, are caught speeding near a school, or while towing a caravan or trailer.
Why take a speed awareness course over a fixed penalty?
Depending on your income, a fixed penalty fine could cost you a lot more than the course.
It’s not just the cost of the fine though. Having points on your licence will push your insurance premiums up. Depending on the conviction, your points will stay on your licence for at least four and, in some cases, up to 11 years.
But if you accept a place on a speed awareness course, your licence will remain point-free.
Do I have to tell my insurer?
You don't need to tell your insurer you’ve been on a speed awareness course, unless they ask you directly.
The police and local authorities don’t inform insurers either. And you won't be asked about driver awareness courses when you compare car insurance quotes with us.
The onus is on the insurer to collect all the information that they need from you to provide cover, not for you to declare everything that they think might be important.
Opting for a speed awareness course means that the police do not record your speeding offence as a conviction, but you may still be required to disclose your attendance to your insurer,” said Gocompare.com's Matt Oliver.
How will it affect my premium?
Some insurers will view your attendance on a speed awareness course as a risk factor when calculating your premiums, others won’t.
If an insurer hasn't asked whether you've attended a speed awareness course, then they can’t use it to calculate your quote. You won’t be asked by us, and the insurers on our panel haven’t asked us to add it to our quote process either.
Insurers view driving convictions very differently though – they all take it seriously. You’ll be asked about any driving convictions you’ve had in the last five years when you get quotes with us. Not telling us to get cheaper insurance is a bad idea. If you ever need to claim, and your insurer finds out, they’ll probably cancel your insurance and refuse to pay out.
How to avoid speeding tickets
Avoiding speed awareness courses and speeding tickets is the best option. You’ll be safer and better off:
1. Plan your route
You're less likely to run late and find yourself rushing to get where you need to be
2. Use cruise control on motorways
Maintaining a constant speed will also increase your mpg
3. Leave early
Leave yourself enough time to account for any traffic or diversions
4. Look out for road signs
Stay aware of road signs informing you of speed changes. Remember that the national speed limit is 60mph on single carriage roads, and 70mph on double carriage roads and motorways
5. Use navigation apps
Many navigation apps display the speed limits where you're driving - these aren't always up to date, so keep an eye out for road signs too